Louis Vuitton - Cologne Shop Window Design for Damier Graphite Collection
8. September 2008 Shop
Shop Windows are invitations.
Invitations to hold, to smirk, to wish and of course, to conductive buying decisions.
But since the vertical brands get the upper hand in city centers it´s really unusual that I feel invited. If it´s in Barcelona, London, Stockholm, Berlin or Paris - At Mango, Penélope und Mónica Cruz gape at me and at H&M it´s the always white-faceless dolls that bring (in a totally synchronized manner) their weekly changing trends like check, or gipsy or high waist-trends into towns. With Zara, Kookai, Topshop andalltheotherbrandswhichican´tlistallbecausetherearetoomuch it´s the same.
Creativity, humor or breaking ranks is not in the focus - of course, because it´s not as easy as it seems. It costs money, time and the most important recognition factor can´t be endangered.
At the retailer´s front it´s sometimes even worse - time for creativity is not given. Selling and surviving are the facts that count. And so, most of the time it´s only Christmas-time and the opening of a flagship store that gives money and changes for inspiring, unique shop windows.
So it´s even more remarkable that the Louis Vuitton design-team didn´t only care about 5th Avenue, but also for the German Rheinland. The Damier Graphite Collection wasn´t set up as exciting as it happened in New York, but still, it´s an eyecatcher and definitely a reason to stop in front of the store.
Photos via Spanier
When Coco Chanel opened her first shop in 1913 in Paris, no one would have been thought that this woman would become one of the most influential designers of the 20th century, a role model for the industrially expanding world and a precursor for female independence.... 
Don´t worry, What´s Wrong With The Zoo isn´t going porn - instead, I have a look towards south. To Munich, Germany. In the midst of the Glockenbachviertel, the AMEN Store doesn´t only hawk unique mirroring but also cares about the good style. (read on) 
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uiuiui, köln liegt echt nicht im ruhrgebiet. na.. also… hoffentlich hat dat keiner gehört.
AAAAAAUUUTTTSCH - Wie konnte aus Rheinland nur Ruhrpott werden, wo ich doch selbst am lustigen Rhein aufgewachsen bin…Fenke, ich danke dir. Der Leichtsinn und der Nichtsinn…die saßen auf meinem Schoß.
[...] Jorge cinema, I’ve just passed by the Louis Vuitton shop, in Lisbon. Altough it seems to be a worldwide installation, it was a nice [...]